21st Century Goguryeo

November 26, 2023, 06:50

B2 bunker in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Namju (Situation room of the Armed Forces Joint Command Control Center)

Everyone's attention was drawn to screen two.

Screen two displayed a video of a large number of nuclear warheads and decoys entering the South Korean atmosphere one by one, which were exploding due to the red-light lasers that were fired from the ground.

The destructive power of the 100-millimeter laser was colossal. The red laser, which flew at the speed of light, melted the nuclear warheads, which were falling at a speed of Mach 20 causing them to eventually explode.

The workers in the operating room exclaimed whenever that happened.

When the last nuclear warhead exploded, everyone in the control room stood up and cheered.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Shin Sung-yong and other staff applauded or shook hands to congratulate one another. General Youn Gi-youn laughed as he shook hands with the commanders around him.

"This, this, this. Isn't it better than what we had expected? Has it been one minute since we began the interception? Hahaha."

The operation room had taken on a festive atmosphere but in one corner, a general with a tense expression sat down and sighed with relief.

The Air Force Chief of Staff, General Kim Eun-ho, was the one who had suggested testing interception performance with the CS-LD Hades ground defense base, which operates the laser gun, the core of the three stages of the deployed CAMD.

However, because his opinion could endanger people's lives and property, he was nervous the entire time. Once it was over, he felt his legs immediately relax as he took a seat.

General Youn Gi-youn, who noticed his expression, approached him with a bright smile.

"I thought you were tough but it seems that the situation had you weak in the knees. Chief of Staff Kim! Stand up!"

General Youn Gi-youn, who approached jokingly, asked for a handshake.

"Haha! That's what I'm saying. You appeared to be the most narrow-minded of the group."

General Lee Ki-hyung, the Navy Chief of Staff, also approached and made a joke.

"Even though I had complete faith in Hades' performance, I am still human, so..."

General Kim Eun-ho rose from his seat, shook hands with Captain Youn Gi-youn, wiped the cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, and responded to the joke with a bright face.

"It's possible. Everyone here was taken aback when Chief of Staff Kim first expressed his thoughts, were they not?"

"That's right. Furthermore, I was so surprised when the chairman approved it."

As a result, the interception test in the actual battle was a huge success, allowing them to crack jokes like this. Although, if this incident was discovered by the media and published in news reports, the public's accusation and criticism would have been severe to the point where some officers may have to hang up their uniforms. It was a risky bet.

With a missile defense system capable of intercepting all of the world's second-largest nuclear power countries, as well as several CS-LD Hades ground defense bases, it is not an exaggeration to say that South Korea is now completely safe in nuclear power combat.

Furthermore, due to a large-scale retaliatory attack, most of the units under the direct control of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, as well as their subordinate units, lost 80 per cent of their power.

All of the rocket division's silo bases were destroyed, and only a few rocket divisions using mobile launch vehicles survived. Two of the Far East Fleet's five nuclear-powered submarines were hit and sunk, while one surrendered to the navy and was delivered to them. Therefore, in the Northeast Sea, only one Borey-class 955A III and one Delta-class III remained.

They would either vanish into the depths of the Northeast Sea forever or they would surrender.

As such, scouring the sea depths of the Northeast Sea in search of the Russian nuclear ballistic missile submarines had begun with eight Hocula submarines belonging to the 11th Mobile Fleet, five submarines belonging to the 12th Functional Fleet, five ships of the 1st Fleet Destroyer Squadron, and eight Hocula Destroyers belonging to the 7th Fleet. Furthermore, in addition to the CS-SH Ares patrol satellite 3, the CS-SH Ares patrol satellite 2 had decided to be deployed in the Northeast Sea.

The Korean-Russian War, which continuously ran for two days, turned into a completely favorable situation for the military of the Republic of Korea due to the neutralization of the Russian nuclear force.

Now that Russia had hastily used their nuclear power at the start of the war and had been completely neutralized, the hidden card that Russia could have used to threaten the Republic of Korea had vanished.

If Russia had not yet used nuclear weapons in the war, the Republic of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff would have established operations against Russia with significant constraints. However, now that such constraints have been lifted, the Joint Chiefs of Staff can transform the previously established operational plan into a bold and aggressive offensive operation.

Now that Russia's nuclear capability had been completely neutralized, the Korean-Russian war had paused for a while. Russia was in shock and delayed its operation for a while, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also ordered all units involved in the war to shift from their current positions and find a place to rest. Although the war was not over, the commanders and soldiers of each unit, who had not slept for two days and had fought valiantly, were able to enjoy themselves.

The Korean people, who were unaware that Russia's nuclear power had been projected throughout the Republic of Korea and then completely neutralized, started their daily routine just like it was any other day.

* * *

November 26th, 2023, 09:30

The National Intelligence Service (Cyber Security Bureau) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Namju

Namgoong-won woke up early to head into the office at the National Intelligence Service after packing some equipment needed by the Cyber Security Agency, as well as extra clothes, and other necessities as he would be staying there for a while.

He went from one department to another, shaking hands and greeting employees he knew, and was now waiting for someone in the Cyber Security Bureau's conference room.

As he was left alone in the conference room, he looked out the window and smiled at the familiar scenery outside. Without realizing it, he remembered something interesting from the past.

Clank!

"Hey! Won! What are you thinking of that has you smiling like this?"

Kang Pil-ho, director of Cybersecurity Division 1, had just walked into the conference room after the executive meeting to see Namgoong-won.

"Oh? Manager Kang! How have you been?"

"Haha, I think I`m going to die right now. I haven`t seen my wife for over a week."

The men who had not seen each other for a while shook their hands vigorously and patted each other's shoulders.

"How come, Manager Kang? You have always been known as a family man but you haven't seen your wife for a week?"

Kang Pil-ho smiled at Namgoong-won's teasing tone.

"Don`t be like that. You're going to be my servant now. Hahaha."

"Is that so? I haven't applied for reinstatement yet?"

"Haha, you're done with your reinstatement paperwork. You'll be working in the security department from now on. Look at this."

Kang Pil-ho poured Namgoong-won's ID, pistol, and all the equipment used by the agents on the table from the bag that he was carrying on his shoulder.

"What? I can't believe this. It is already done."

"Director Ahn and our director made a big deal about your return to work today. As a result, the employee had to begin working early in the morning to complete your paperwork and had a difficult time."

Namgoong-won shook his head in response to manager Kang Pil-ho's words.

"Wow! Before even hearing my answer…"

"What do you mean before hearing your answer? You're here to go back to work, right? Don't you think so?"

"Haha, that's right. You're amazing. You're amazing."

"Hey! Get some more rest. Our director will be a little late because he has a director's meeting to attend. I'd like to speak with you more, but I have a lot of work to do. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Do your work!"

"Okay! Then I'll leave. Let's have lunch together later."

"Okay!"

Manager Kang Pil-ho left, and Namgoong-won looked at his ID card on the table.

It was the same as his ID card before he retired. The department's name was written as Special Security Department Division 2 of the Cyber Security Bureau.

"Special Security Department? Was there a department like this?"

Namgoong-won thought a little as he tilted his head. He then picked up the CS5A1 laser pistol. He liked how the CS5A1 laser pistol was smaller and lighter than the existing CS5, and how it had a subtle silver-tone and a smooth appearance.

He looked satisfied, and then he took out the shield glasses called SG-TAR from the case.

It appears to be a regular pair of Boeing sunglasses, but it was Namgoong-won's favorite item due to its various functions. He put it on right away and took a look around the conference room. At that moment, something caught his eye. He was so surprised that he nearly rolled behind the chair.

"Argh! What? What?"

He noticed a doll standing on one side of the conference room through his shield glasses.

"What are you? Who are you?"

In this urgent situation, Namgoong-won pointed his CS5A1 laser pistol at the unidentified doll.

"Hey! Calm down."

"What kind of bullsh*t? Won't you show up right now?"

"I got it. I got it."

The unidentified doll giggled as if he was dying from laughter and revealed his identity.

In the transparent system (TCS) mode, the unidentified doll that was transparent appeared.

Lee Ja-sung, a member of the National Intelligence Service's collective education, grabbed his belly and burst into laughter.

"Phew! You b*stard! Are you having fun? Is it funny?"

"Hahaha. Isn't it?"

"Ah. For God's sake, how long have you been there?"

"I've been here since you entered the conference room."

"Wow! Then, you've been watching me for 10 minutes in TCS? Like a pervert?"

"Didn't you know that I am a pervert? Hahaha."

"Yes, you punk! I didn't know."

The two joked sarcastically and hugged each other tightly.

"When I went to the Foreign Intelligence Agency, I heard that you went on a business trip to Hong Kong."

"I was, but I arrived this morning. Because of you."

Lee Ja-sung sat on the opposite seat, yawned, and stretched as he was tired.

"Because of me? Did you come back just to see me while you were on a business trip?"

"Oh, oh, look at this guy. Are you convinced that you're that amazing? Do you think I'll cut my business trip short just to see you?"

"That's right. A pervert like you won't do that. Then why, if it's not because of me?"

"I'm here to pick you up."

At Lee Ja-seong's words, Namgoong-won opened his eyes wide.

"What are you talking about? You're here to pick me up? Today is my first day at work and I'm an office worker. Tsk tsk."

"Haha, I don't know about that, but I'm here to pick you up. Anyway, you'll find out later when your superiors come."

Lee Ja-sung said with a smile, perhaps because it was fun teasing him.

"Oh, my. This is terrifying from the start. Should I go home now?"

"Did you not hear what was said earlier? On paper, you've been reinstated. You cannot leave whenever you want, Namgoong-won!"

"So loud!"

At this moment, the door to the conference room opened and middle-aged men entered. They were the directors of the Foreign Intelligence Agency, the Counter-terrorism Investigation Bureau, and the Cyber Security Bureau.